Guru's Gravel Grinders

This is the first of a dozen Gravel Grinders during this winter.

What: Guru Gravel Grinder #1

When: Sunday, December 20, 2009 - 10:00 am start time

Where: Start at E.H. Young Riverfront Park, Riverside MO

Who: Any and all are welcome

Why: Because there is way too much pavement in the world

Route: A mix of gravel, levee and back country roads. Mostly road, but plenty of gravel to keep us sane. Some hills will be climbed. You will experience some discomfort depending on pace. We will try and stay off any high traffic roads. Any road bike with a good sturdy set of wheels can be used. Cross bike preferred, but not required. Distance from E. H. Young is about 38 miles.

This is a Show-N-Go ride, please bring food/water and anything you require.

Are you ready for the Barnyard Cross?

The boys at Badgoat Racing are working hard for Saturday's 1st Annual Barnyard Cross. They advertised "There Will Be Mud" and with the recent snow fall I would say they hit is spot on. Expect true cross conditions.

Refreshments provided by Barnyard Beer and Devil Dog Coffee

Event flyers can be found here.

Thanksgiving Day MTB Ride

When: 9am Thanksgiving morning

Where: free trailhead at Clinton Lake State Park (corps of engineers end)

What: fun ride on great trails

Why : to celebrate the day and gain an appetite

G(785) 691-7099

De Stad Mud Fest

I would say Sunday's Conditions for the final round of the De Stad series were epic. Great day for racing cyclocross - 44 degrees, raining, mud, pain...

Cow Town had an awesome day with Tige Lamb winning the Kansas State Cyclocross title after battling with Mark Studnicki for most of the day. Christopher Locke used his mud skills to work his way up to 2nd place on the day and more importantly win the series title.

Here are some pictures.

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De Stad Cross Cup/Kansas State Cyclocross Championships

The De Stad Cyclocross Van Kansas Series presented by Paceline Products heads back to the beautiful campus of the University of Saint Mary for the final round of our 2009 series. A classic course has been laid out for you by the Cross Guru which will include the popular elements that this great venue has to offer and an end of season feast presented by Cow Town Cycling and The Wheel Cyclery will tasty home made goodies.

Sunday’s De Stad Cross Cup will decided who are the cyclocross champions for the 2009 season and 30 Kansas State Cyclocross Championship titles will be awarded (see event flyer for details). In addition to De Stad Cross Cup event awards, De Stad series championships and Kansas State titles, the De Stad Cross Cup/Kansas State Cyclocross Championships is also the final round of the 2009 Kansas Omnium State Championship.

Online registration closes on Thursday at 11:59pm. Please visit our registration link: De Stad Online Registration Link to register. Note: All pre-registered riders will be entered in the series raffle to win a Scott Cyclocross frame. All pre-registered riders will receive a Wheel Cyclery goody bag which will include some great products like Chamois Butt'r, FRS Energy , Sombra gels and Hammer products. Riders will be called to the line based on order of registration. Race day registration is available and opens at 8:30am. See event flyer for more details.

Cow Town Cycling Team will be sponsoring the Men's Open class this week with special prizes and cash awards. The Santa Fe Trails Bicycle and Coffee Shop will be supporting us all with their tasty blend of coffees. Please stop by and have a cup while at registration. The Kansas Cycling Association is proud to again sponsor the Women’s Beginner Cat 4 class. Thanks to a partnership with the KCA and our event promoters, the entry fee for the Women’s Cat 4 division has been reduced to $10.00. While you are at our events this year please be sure to visit Joel with JET Performance Chiropractic. Joel will be available during all our series events for a quick body tune-up.

We are happy to announce that a diaper donation drive will be ongoing at Sunday’s event to benefit the Happy Bottoms organization. The goal of the first diaper drive is “7 Days, 7000 Diapers”. Team 360 Racing’s David Heiduk will be on site with collection bins to aid this needed service in Kansas City.

Veterans Cyclocross Pictures

Cross Guru was out taking some pictures from round #4 of the De Stad Cyclocross Van Kansas Series (Veterans Cross). Check them out below.

Congratulations too Mark Cole for winning the last two rounds in the Men's Cat 3 class. At Smithville he had a great race and took a convincing win. Today he followed that result up with another win going away.

Complete results can be found at www.kansascitycross.com

Pictures.

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Race Across the Sky

On October 22, the documentary Race Across the Sky – Leadville Trail 100 and live panel discussion featuring Lance Armstrong, Dave Wiens and other great professional and amateur cyclists are coming to over 400 movie theaters nationwide. For only one night, people from across the country will gather together to hear from Lance Armstrong, Chris Carmichael, Dave Wiens, Travis Brown and others as they discuss the triumphs, difficulties, and experiences that make the Leadville Trail 100 the most extreme one day mountain biking race out there.

In addition to the panel discussion hear extraordinary stories from amateur cyclists whose stories will move and inspire you. Stories include a Leadville woman who was critically injured training for the 2008 Leadville Trail 100 and came back to compete this year; a 45+ year old man who has competed in the Leadville Trail 100 for 15+ years, and a woman struggling with MS.

More info here Race Across The Sky

For a list of local theaters visit HERE.

Chris Cross Donation Drive

Round #2 of the De Stad Cyclocross Van Kansas Series presented by Paceline Products will be collecting donations for the Forest Avenue Women's Shelter in Kansas City, Missouri. Please bring your donations from the below list to the Chris Cross Cyclocross event on October 11th, 2009. You will receive a raffle ticket for your donation and more importantly be helping the over 9000 local women and children per year who stay at the shelter for help.

For more information about the Forest Avenue Women's Shelter please contact the First Baptist Church Greenwood, Fbc.office@fbcgreenwood.org or 816.537.6491

Items needed for the shelter

Housewares

• Twin sized blankets
• Twin sized sheets (used)
• Pillows and pillow cases
• Coats and Warm Hats (no clothing is needed right now)
• Gloves and Mittens
• Snow Boots and Rain boots
• Umbrellas
• Sleepwear
• Wash Clothes and Towes (used)
• Freezer Bags
• Cleaning Utensils and Supplies
• Paper Towels.

Personal Care Products

• Tylenol and Ibuprofen for Adults and Children
• Pepto Bismal, Imodium
• Toothpaste and Tooth Brushes
• Deodorant
• Razors
• First Aid Items
• Toilet Paper
• Disposable Diapers
• Feminine Hygiene Products

KC Cup on Film

Jeffery Arnaud sends us some cool videos from last weekends KC Cup Mountain Bike race.



KC Cup part 2

KC Cup Part 3

Diamond Blackfan Cyclocross Challenge

Fall is finally here and it is time for Cyclocross. The 2009 De Stad Cyclocross Van Kansas Series presented by Paceline Products begins this Sunday with our opening round. The Diamond Blackfan Cyclocross Challenge will again start off our series with a great fundraising event for the Diamond Blackfan Anemia Foundation.

Online registration closes on Thursday at 11:59pm. Our Series Pass (1 free race) will also close at this time so please register now. Please visit our registration link: De Stad Online Registration Link to register. Note: All pre-registered riders will be entered in the event/series raffle. All pre-registered riders will receive a Wheel Cyclery goody bag which included some great products like Chamois Butt’r. Riders will be called to the line based on order of registration. Race day registration is available and opens at 8:30am. See event flyer for more details.

New this year: Awards 5 deep in the Men’s Cat 4 and Women’s Cat 4 divisions. The Men’s Open class is now open to all categories and payout is 7 deep. Fastest first lap prizes will be offered in select classes along with some other surprises. Stay tuned for more information on additional prizes.

The Kansas Cycling Association is proud to again sponsor the Women’s Beginner Cat 4 class. Thanks to a partnership with the KCA and our event promoters, the entry fee for the Women’s Cat 4 division has been reduced to $10.00.

While you are at our events this year please be sure to visit Joel with JET Performance Chiropractic. Joel will be available during all our series events for a quick body tune-up.

The 411…

What: 2^nd Annual Diamond Blackfan Cyclocross Challenge

When: Sunday, September 27^th, 2009

Where: Sar-Ko-Par Trails Park, Lenexa, Kansas

Sponsoring team: Cow Town Cycling Team

Directions: Google map – Sar-Ko-Par Trails Park, Lenexa, Kansas

Link to event flyer: Diamond Blackfan Cyclocross Challenge Flyer

Bike Fund Threatened - Act Today

Brent Hugh, the Director of the Missouri Bicycle and Pedestrian Federation, reminds us that we need to act today to help save important funding.

Help Support Trails, Walking and Bicycling TODAY!

Your voice is urgently needed! The U.S. Senate is scheduled to vote on
eliminating walking and biking funds today, September 16.

You can call both your senators--and help put a stop to this--by following
the instructions here: League of American Bicyclist

Back in 2003, a few members of Congress tried to eliminate Enhancements
Funding--the main source of funding for bicycle, pedestrian, and trails
projects in the U.S.

That effort was soundly defeated--but only after a huge tidal wave of
ordinary people like you took the time to call or email their members of
Congress.

Now we need to do it again!

Tall Oak Challenge

The 2nd annual Tall Oak Challenge MTB Race was a great success with over 120 racers showing up to race for 6 hours. Team Red Wheel did an awesome job of preparing the trails. Hat's off to them for all their hard work.

Overall team winners of the day were the Duo of Chris Ploch and Tom Albert who laid down 11 laps in 6:18. Second went to the team of Don Travis and Cameron Chambers. They kept it close, but had to settle for second on the day. The fight for third place was came down to the last lap. A nice battel between the "Flying Cows" and "Jimmy Leg". The team of Paul Kerwit and Pfremmer were able to chase down the team of Mike Classen and Garet Steinmetz on that final lap to take third wiht 10 laps.

Jeff Winkler and Karen Holtman were the overall 6 hour Solo winners on the day. Jeff put in another impressive ride lapping most of the solo field and finishing with 11 laps in 6:32.

Complete results are up - Binder 6 hour MTB Results

Team Seagal was on hand. They have some pictures up and a nice report.

Cow Town 200K Bicycle Tour

The Cow Town 200K
Date: Saturday, 8/22/09 (8:00 a.m. start time)
Location: God's Country - Northland

Please join the Cow Town Cycling Team for a wonderful day of riding in the Northland. A very scenic 200K route is planned visiting Parkville, Waldron, Weston, Platte City, Smithville Lake, Liberty, Excelsior Springs and Riverside.

We depart at 8:00am from E.H. Young Riverfront Park, Riverside, Missouri. Ride pace will be very easy. Rest stops are planned every 15 - 30 miles. Optional shorter routes are available for those not wishing to do the entire 200k (124 miles).

This is an Show-N-Go ride and you ride at your own risk.

Tour hotline 816.213.1620

2009 Rapture in Misery

Another great RIM. Although mother nature shorted the event to a 6/9 hour event. The 9th Annual Rapture in Misery moved to a new location this year. Doug Long and the Green Hills Trails Association hosted this years event up at Crowder State Park. A 9.2 mile course that included the "Grave Yard" and plenty of sweet single track. And climbing, did we mention that it has plenty of that.

Some great results were turned in by the team. We took top honors in both 3 man divisions. 1st place in the Super Fast Team w/ Tige, Damian and John. 1st Place in the Fun Team with Ashley, Sean and Kevin. 3rd place in the 12 hour solo 40+ division was turned in by old man Chris Locke

Here are some pictures from the 2009 Rapture in Misery. Complete results forthcoming.

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Smithville Lake Spider Fest 2009

Cool Weather, Hot Racing

July comes to a close with some great results from our team.

At the Cramp Alexander MTB race Tige Lamb lined up with some of the best experts in the region including Mark Studnicki, Cameron Chambers and Shad Shreiner. Both Mark and Tige started in the second wave of the experts and rode together until the end passing all the other experts except for the speedy Shad. Proving once again the sometimes age is better that youth. John Wagner took the Single Speed win for Cow Town with an excellent ride. Complete results are up - Results

On the road side Mark Cole won the 60 mile Sunflower State Games Road race in the Cat 3/4 division. Second place went to Kurt Albrecht with Jack Funk round out the Sunflower games podium. Here are the top placing Criterium/Road race results.

The following week the Cow Town fat tire crew was out in force at the Sunflower State games and Show-Me-State Games MTB events. Damian Almanza is showing some great form lately and took top honors on the challenging MacLennan park . Damain won the Expert 30-39 division and clocked the quickest time of the day in 1:40. Next up was Team Bad Goat who took a podium sweep of the Expert 20-29 division . Complete Sunflower MTB results here. Our Missouri riders also had their "State Games" this past week. Congrats to Sean Gaulter for placing 2nd in his first mountain bike race. John Wagner was again out giving the single speeders hell this time taking a hard earned 3rd place.

On the multi-sport side this Cow Towner showed that Cow's can indeed swim, bike and run - Fast.

July's Fat Tire Events

There are plenty of off-road events coming up....

Saturday is the Farmhouse Classic up in Lathrop, MO. Joe Fox brings up this fun gravel road ride complete with a supported aid stations, breakfast and post event food/drink. Cost is free. Well, you can not beat that. If you are interested in going email joe@cyclecitykc.com with your name and home town. He will add you to the ride roster.

Sunday is the Cramp Alexander MTB race down in Emporia, KS. Categories for all ability levels will be offered at this grass roots event. Thanks to Lelan and Garret for bringing some fat tire racing to us.

Some locals are heading down to the Fat Tire Festival in Eureka Springs this weekend. A complete weekend including short track, downhill and traditional cross country.

Gerard reminds us, and who could really forget it, that 16th Annual Flint Hills Death Ride is July
25th & 26th. No whiners allowed at this challenging event. Check out the entry form . I like rule #1 "Cows have the right of way"

Also, next weekend the "State Games" will be held. Missouri has the Show-Me-State Games MTB race and Kansas has the Sunflower State Games MTB race.

Cow Appreciaton Day

Chick-fil-A is hosting the 5th Annual Cow Appreciation Day this Friday, July 10, 2009.

Just wear your Cow Town kit to a local Chick-Fil-A restaurant and you will receive a free meal. Don't have a Cow Town kit? That is a shame because we do have the best looking kit out there. However, there is still hope for you.

Here is all the details you need.

Paci's Bicycle Rally

I wanted to post this for my friend Joe and for all bicyclists out there on our roadways. On June 18th about 7:00 PM on N. Cherry leading out of NKC, a driver purposely struck Joe Pace while he was riding his bicycle. Joe was riding with Anne single file up N. Cherry, when they heard a motorist come up behind them blaring on his horn (this has happened to about all of us). Joe told Anne to just get as far over as she could, so the car could pass. The motorist came around Anne making sure he got as close as he could get to her and then purposely swerved into Joe, who was just a little farther up the road, striking him with the side of his car. Joe’s left arm and wrist took most of the impact, while the rest of his body slammed into the vehicle. Joe then crashed onto the street, hitting his hip and head on the pavement (he had a helmet on). The driver sped off, without knowing if he had seriously injured somebody or worse. Thank goodness Joe’s injuries are not life threatening and he is going to recover. There were witnesses who got a description of the car and the driver, but no license plate number. A police report was filed and a $500 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest of this criminal.

Joe is having a bicycle rally at is Restaurant/Bar, Paci’s, on Saturday, June 27th at 7:00 AM. The rally will be covered by Channel 9 News. They are doing a cover story on the Heart of America Bridge and why the city should make bicycle lanes on it. Steve Mahoney interviewed Joe and Anne for the story and are hoping to use Joe’s story as a lead in to the Heart of America bike lane piece.

The address for Paci’s is 1825 Buchanan, NKC, MO. If you can make it on June 27th at 7:00 AM, that would be great. Hopefully we can help raise awareness that bicycles are out on the roads and we have just as much right to use the roads as cars do and maybe we can get the guy who hit Joe off the street, before he attacks another cyclist.

Rhett's Run MTB Race Report

MWFTS Race # 5 was held Sunday, June 7th in Columbia, Missouri. Cow town was respectfully represented by John Wagner, Garet Steinmetz and Sean Burns. Race day conditions were less than optimal with rain showers through the night/morning. The rain stopped and the trail drained fairly well, leaving some great singletrack riding with minimal slick rocks on what would prove to be a great and challenging course.

First off the line was the Expert Men. Garet’s start looked great and into the singletrack he disappeared. John and I then lined-up for the Single Speed event, and we were both in the top 5 heading into the woods.

The first 200 yards of singletrack was a downhill, rock covered slippery mess. I heard the rider behind me crash hard, taking out a few of the heard behind him. This allowed the top five positions to make a pretty good gap. Slowly the riders also made a pretty good gap in front of me, and I was alone having a great time, and finally passed by a couple strong riders just before the start of lap two. John was long gone by now, battling it out for a podium finish. I slowly fell into a state of ‘umm, I just bonked hard’ and was at the point were I had to literally stop and take a break, I was feeling pretty sick. A handul of riders passed me until I finally had the juice to get back in the saddle and finish the race.

The course was great and as usual, it was a good time had by everyone.

All said and done,

Garet \ 10th in Expert
John 5th Single Speed
Sean 8th Single Speed

I've kept this report on-the-short, because you can read more about Garet’s race HERE and more about Sean's efforts HERE.

Official results are HERE.

Event Photos are HERE.

-Sean

Holler and Steinmetz On Top

Cow Town's Selby Holler continued his winning ways by taking the overall win at the BUMP N' Grind in the Cat 3 division. Held annually at the Oak Mountain State Park the event is hosted on a 10,000 acre facility and includes the famous 600 foot climb up Red This years event hit the big time as it was the 2nd round of the Kenda Cup East.

Check out a cool video of the event at BUMP site.

Closer to home, the first round of the Down and Dirty MTB Series was held in Warsaw, Missouri at the Truman Lake MTB Park. A challenging 7 mile course awaited everyone Sunday morning. In the Expert field, Cow Town Cycling's Garet Steinmetz took his first solo win of the year over Ebby Norman of Pro-Velo. Steinmetz suffered two flats, but still managed to get the better of the elder Norman.

Check out the race report on Riding Dirty Flying High

Next round of the Down and Dirty series is June 21st.

Down and Dirty MTB Series

The Down and Dirty Mountain Bike Series begins this weekend at the new Truman Lake Mountain Bike park. Registration opens at 8:00am on Sunday and closes at 9:30 am. More info contact Mac Vorce at parksrec at welcometowarsaw dot com

Classes and start times:

• 10:00 am - 15 and under ($3.00)
  
• 10:00 am - Beginners ($5.00)
  
• 10:30 am - Experts ($15.00)
  
• 10:35 am - Sport ($10.00)

Event dates:

• May 31st
• June 21st
• July 12th

Here is some videos from last years event:

2009 Missouri State MTB Championship.

It looks like Missouri is going to have an "official" mountain bike championship after all. A great opportunity to qualify for the NORBA Nationals that will be held in Colorado for 2009....Here is the flyer link

Important MoDOT Meeting

Tuesday, May 19th, 5:30PM, about 60 minutes
MARC headquarters, 600 Broadway, Kansas City, MO 64105

I've been trying to explain to people just how important this meeting is,
and it's not that easy. But let me try:

* MoDOT roads and policies are the biggest single impediment to better,
safer bicycling and walking in Missouri.

* That's because MoDOT roads--lots of them--go right through our cities,
and when they do they are usually the worst places for bicycling and
walking.

* This meeting is with a group trying to build public support for future
MoDOT funding--because MoDOT funding is about to be slashed by 60%.

* How can we support future MoDOT funding unless MoDOT is going to use
that funding to provide for safe bicycling and walking, where needed, on
(and across) their roads?

* We need PEOPLE--lot of them--to ask for that.

* And that's why we need YOU to come to this meeting Tuesday, May 19th,
5:30PM.

* It should only last 60 minutes and we'll have refreshments. If you
can't make it just at 5:30 it's fine to come when you can.

Details:

Missouri Transportation Alliance public meeting about future MoDOT
funding
Tuesday, May 19, 2009, 5:30-6:30pm CDT
1st floor, Broadway Room
Mid-America Regional Council
600 Broadway, Suite 200
Kansas City, MO 64105
Please let me know if you plan to attend so I can plan refreshments etc.-
director@mobikefed.org or 816-695-6736

If you can't attend, please spend 5 minutes leaving a comment about the
subject here:

http://mobikefed.org/2009/01/28-jan-2009-should-modots-future.php

More about the Missouri Transportation Alliance:

http://www.missouritransportation.org

--Brent
director@mobikefed.org

Wilson Lake MTB Race

Once again, the annual Wilson Lake Roller coaster MTB Race was a spectacle beyond anything imaginable in the state of Kansas. With lunar landscapes, rocky bluffs, Fruita-style cliff riding and treacherous descending, this 15 mile race course is off the hook! Race Promoter Doug Chambers pulls out all the stops in putting on a fine event with a Saturday hill climb and Sunday Cross Country Race. Kansas Trails Council member Bob Nicholson is the main man behind train design on this unique system.

Cow Town's Gerard Arantowicz won the Sport 19-39 hill climb with his teammate John Wagner placed 2nd in the Single speed Cross Country Race.

Complete Results coming.

Cycling and Power Output Study

We are looking for 20 cyclists to participate in a study to
determine maximal aerobic fitness and power output during 2
different riding positions.

Do I qualify?

• Males between the ages of 18 and 45 years of age
• People who cycle a minimum of 50 miles per week
• Able to attend two (2), 60-minute sessions at the University
of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC)
What would I have to do?

• Participate in 2 maximal effort cycling exercise tests (lasting
about 25 minutes in length) on 2 separate days at KUMC
• Able to provide individual bicycle and cycling shoes
For More Information Contact:

Shad Schreiner, SPT / Willie Yuen, SPT

785-623-7928 505-450-9220

sschreiner@kumc.edu wyuen@kumc.edu

Downlad Flyer Power Output

Bike Week 2009

*BIKE WEEK 2009: May 9-16, *http://www.kcbike.info/bikeweek/

It's that time of year to dust off your bike and walking shoes and
start recruiting your friends, family and co-workers for Bike Week
2009! With dozens of events featuring *bicycle commuting, recreation,
trails, fitness, etc. *- there's sure to be something for everyone.

* Classes on fixing your bike and riding it safely
* Rest stops on your way to work
* Press conference with KCMO Mayor Funkhouser
* Car Free Weekends on Cliff Drive
* KC Women on Wheels Bike Festival and Expo
* Group rides for all skill levels

*CAR-FREE CHALLENGE*

*How many car trips can you replace with bicycling, walking, or transit?
*Whether to work or errands, keep of track of your trips and be eligible
for great prizes. And we'll calculate your carbon emissions savings so
you can see how your transportation choices impact the environment. Get
a team together or go solo, just register online and get started today.

Go to http://www.kcbike.info/bikeweek/ for details, calender of events,
and registration.

Bike Week is brought to you by the City of Kansas City, Missouri,
Mid-America Regional Council, the Missouri Bicycle Federation,
KCBike.Info, and many local bike shops and community organizations.

God's Country Race Report

Saturday turned out to be a great day for racing. Expected high temps were masked by an overcast sky and a nice breeze. Chris and his small posse of volunteers got the event set-up and things ready to roll just as the mass of athletes started to arrive. There were two races today; the God's Country Duathlon and the God's Country Mountain Bike Race. Both events were held at the Lawrence River Trails in Lawrence, Kansas. The trails were in perfect condition and the course was super fast. The weather held out for both events allowing for a great day outdoors.

For the Duathlon it was a mass start on the gravel levee. This allowed space to be made and the fastest were in the front as they entered the single track dirt loop. After the run part of the race participants grabbed their bikes and headed back out for another lap of the trail. The leaders were way ahead of the remaining racers. Everyone seemed to be having a great time as they ran or peddled past the start/finish.

The MTB event was two laps of the classic LRT plus some grass and gravel levee action tossed in for good measure. The start on the levee allowed the group to space a bit and the fastest riders were on the single track first. The course was so fast that there was a huge train of riders, all going as fast as they could for the two laps. There were a few wrecks and a few flats, but for the most part everyone was really just cooking along on the perfect dirt trail. A few Cross bikes even showed to race and actually pulled through very well. It was a great day for racing and a great event!

As usual for a local race, we had a great turn-out of Cow Town team members. Here is a brief run down of how we did:

Chris Locke 2nd Male 40 - 49 Duathlon

Sean Burns 6th SS MTB

Craig Myers Arenth 1st 40+ MTB

Mike Classen 1st Male 50+ and 3rd 40+ MTB

Jame Forrestal DFL in the Sport Male :-)

Jeff Arnaud 3rd SS MTB

Damian Almanza 6th Expert MTB

Gerard Arantowicz (Jessica Hill) 1st Coed Duathlon

Robert Tarne 5th Male 40 - 49 Duathlon

This was a great event. Thanks to all who helped make this event a success!

God's Country Duathlon and MTB

The much anticipated God's Country events are this weekend. Come on out and enjoy a day of riding on those sweet Lawrence River Trails.


Download a guide - God's Country Technical Guide.

Complete info at www.fattireduathlon.com

See everyone Saturday!

Bone Bender Race Report

Cow Town Cycling Team had a heavy showing at the Bone Bender MTB Race over the weekend. Chris Locke and Co. with the help of Earthriders Mountain Bike Club, Midwest Mountain Bike Patrol and many other volunteers did an excellent job of getting this race set-up, prepped and executed for what was a first class event. Even though last minute the weather was not so, how you say...cooperative, but the race was on!

As riders prepared for the race, the rain was pouring down. Everyone was preparing for the worst and hoping for the best. We all knew that there was potential for some suffering on the trails today, and that is exactly what we got. The course was excellent; a mix of mostly single track with few short sections of paved trail tossed in for good measure. The trails were in prime shape just hours before the race, but the rain had turned the flowing single track into either a wet, soupy mess or a clay mix that would cling to your bike in a way that would disable your forward progress in a matter of seconds. Many riders barely finished one lap and less finished the race at all. I know that at times I would have to stop and scrape the mud off my bike only to have to do it again fifty-yards later. Even trying to carry your bike with the additional weight of the mud was just pure torture. A true test of determination and will power. It was actually nice to hit the pavement for a minute here and there to recover, not just physically but mentally. I believe the course was estimated at 55-75 minute lap times, but with the conditions, even the fastest lap was a mere 72 minutes (and he was f a s t!), with most first lap times coming in at 2+ hours! All riders coming into the finish area were covered in mud and had the look of death in their eyes. This was a hard race to finish, congrats to all of those who did!

Typical photo of a bike during the event...
This photo of Chris really sums it up...all you could do was laugh!



Here is a run down of the Cow Town Cycling Team showings:



Chris Locke - 1st place - 3 HR Solo Singlespeed
John Wagner - 4th place - 3 HR Solo Singlespeed



Michael Tarne - 8th place - 6 HR Solo Male


Sean Burns - 3rd place - 6 HR Solo Singlespeed
Brent Gowin - 5th place - 6 HR Solo Singlespeed


Damian Almanza / Ashley Blum - 1st place - 6 HR Team
Jeff Arnaud / Keith Baker - 3rd place - 6 HR Team

Full Results can be found HERE.

Great work team!

I believe a good amount of cash was donated to the Earth Riders Trails Association, as all proceeds from the event went in that direction. Thanks to all of the volunteers and the event staff for putting on a great event. The weather was not great, but that's racing!


Peace! - Sean

2009 Ouachita Challenge

The results are up: 2009 Ouachita Challenge Race Results

Cow Town Cycling Team had a large contingent down at the OC. Some great finishes including a podium spot for John Wagner in the Single Speed and an 8th place finish for Mark Cole in the 80 Mile race.

Team Cow Town:

Tige Lamb - 27th Overall in 5:54
John Wagner - 4th Single Speed in 6:18
Mike Classen - 47th Overall in 6:25
Garret Steinmetz - 48th Overall in 6:25
Chris Locke - 7th Single Speed in 6:28
Dan Gierer - 86th Overall in 7:12
Brent Gowin - 23rd Single Speed in 7:53
Mark Cole - 8th Overall in 8:13* (80 mile)
Keith Baker - 139th Overall in 8:26
Gerard Arantowicz - 145th Overall in 8:41
Jeffery Arnaud 25th Single Speed in 8:42
Randy Cartwright - DNF at Big Brushy w/broken rim.

Congrats to everyone who finished this challenging event.

Some pictures that Carolynn took.

Here is some video action .

Three in a Row for Holler

Selby Holler continued his winning ways in the S.E.R.C. series in Bryson City, North Carolina. This event was very competitive as it was a combined event with the AMBC series and the Southern Classic Mountain Bike Series . Even with stiff competition Selby worked his way up from a poor start to stand atop the podium. "On the Tsali trails you could hear racers in my division yell out were is the 'Cow Man'. Luckly their efforts to catch me came up short and I am very happy to get a hat trick".

Cow Town Takes "Brutal" Black Locust Win

Several events were postponed this weekend due to an early spring winter storm (Dogwood, Spring Fling and Bazaar), but nothing could stop the athletes at the Black Locust Duathlon. The SAC River Trails usually hold up to wet weather well, but the week long storms combined with Saturday's continued rain and cold weather turned the course into real challenge for everyone including overall male winner, Cow Town Cycling's Chris Locke "These off-road duathlons are meant to be fun and challenging, but today's course and conditions were just plain brutal. Nothing like running in 38 degree temps amid down pouring rain. Most of the trails had a steady stream of water running down them. You really had to be aggressive and both mentally and physically strong to finish today". The organizers and volunteers put on a great event with plenty of prizes and food. They kept everyone in good spirits and made sure everyone safely completed the event. Complete results and pictures will be up later.

Our South East division continue to put in some great results. Selby Holler took his second win of the year at round #2 of the South Eastern AMBC series. "I decided to attack from the start today and it all worked out for me" Selby won over a hard charging Scott Pun and Tim Vollack of team Outlast Energy.

Round #2 of the Midwest Fat Tire Series was also held this weekend. A couple of inches of snow and the spring storm did not stop everyone form having a great time riding those Council Bluff trails. Andy and crew put on another memorable Rim Wrecker. Congrats to Cow Town's Garet Steinmetz for taken a well deserved 5th place in the Marathon class. 3

Dogwood Road Race Cancelled

From the race director:

"Due to expected severe weather this Saturday the dogwood road race is cancelled. We are expecting heavy rain Thursday night continuing through Saturday. Temp at race time is forecast in the 30's. best case would be temp in the 30's with strong winds and wet roads. Add rain or snow, 70% chance for the worsening possibilities . With those conditions and the length of the course I feel we could be potentially putting racers at risk of exposure far from support. A scheduled race in Arkansas doesn't allow us to switch to Sunday when conditions are forecast to be much improved.I wanted to get this out as soon as possible to alert racers of the decision. Please forward this to your fellow racers. Sorry Curt Evenson"

Pair of Victories for Cow Town

Mark Cole took a well deserved victory Saturday during round #4 of the Spring Fling Criterium series. In the Men's Cat 4 division Mark won over a field of 36 riders with Adam Miller taking second and Joseph Shepherd getting the final podium spot.

Complete results for round #4 : Spring Fling #4 Results

The opening round of the Midwest Fat Tire Championship Series was held over in St. Louis on Sunday. The Lost Valley event had a great turnout of 177 riders which showed that MtB racing is is alive and kicking. Our own Keith Baker represented us well with a win in the Beginner Men's 40+ division.

Complete results for Lost Valley MTB

Road Racing Going Strong

Area road racing continued this week with Saturday's Spring Fling out at Clinton Lake State Park. Up first was a short 2.5K TT then a full schedule of crits - Spring Fling #2 Results.

Round #2 of the Dam Road Race Series was held Sunday. Another great turnout for this popular series. Roger sends us the results for round #2. He also took some great photos - Roger's House of Photos.

The final round of the series is this Sunday March 22. For more information download the Dam Road Race Flyer

Bonebender MTB race POSTPONED

Official word is in...

Well folks, I hate to be the bearer of bad news but this latest round of rain just put us over the top on soaking the trails and making them un-rideable for this coming weekend. Sorry but we will have to postpone the Bonebender MTB race until the scheduled make up date of April 18th comes around.

I am just as bummed as you are about this but the volunteers who build and maintain all these sweet trails will appreciate your respect of the trails by not wanting to damage them with a race in muddy conditions.

Thanks for your understanding and I look forward to seeing all of you at the Bonebender MTB race on April 18th!

John Harter,
Trail Manager Smithville Lake Trails

Chambers Win's Devil's Revenge

Cameron Chambers made it look easy has he took the win Saturday in the 5th Annual Devil's Revenge Duathlon in 1:24:40. Josh Patterson had a strong bike leg to secure 2nd place overall in 1:28:30. Early run leader Tony Rabion finished a close 3rd overall in 1:28:58. John Waller and Chris Locke rounded out the top 5 male overall.

In the women's field Sheena Koehn lead after the 3.75 mile trail run, but Wanda Simchuh put in a very strong bike leg to take the overall win in 1:54:10. Second place went to Karen Borgstedt in 1:57:05. Sheena held on for 3rd place overall.

Complete results and pictures can be found at www.fattireduathlon.com

Cow Town Cycling was out in force and did a great job. Congratulations to all

Damian Almanza - 5th Expert MTB
Gerard Arantowicz - 3rd Male Relay
Jeff Arnaud - 3rd Sport MTB
Sean Burn - 5th Single Speed MTB
Mike Classen - 1st Male 50+
Tige Lamb - 3rd Expert MTB
Chris Locke - 2nd Male 40-49
Brent Gowin - 8th Male 20 - 29
Toby Long - 5th Sport MTB
Garet Steinmetz- 1st Male Relay
Robert Tarne - 6th Male 40 -49

Holler wins AMBC Opener

Great news from the boys down in Florida. Our own Selby Holler won the opening round of the AMBC (Southeastern Regional Series) series in Gainesville, Florida. The opening round was held at the very popular Haile's Trail and was promoted by our old friends Gone Riding

Selby was in a tight battle the entire event with two other riders who had distanced themselves from the 30 rider field. In the end it was his ability to HURT more than he thought he could and take the win over his rivals. "I plan on doing a lot more hurting" said Holler has he gets ready for a championship run.

Devil's Revenge MTB Race

In addition to the normal Duathlon, the Devil's Revenge MTB Race has been added to Saturday's event. Custom awards to top 3 overall in each class and cash payout to top overall times for the day.

Devil's Revenge MTB Race

March 7th, 2009

Clinton Lake State Park, Lawrence, Kansas

Registration opens at 8:00am

Race Start 10:15 am

Cost $20.00

Classes:

Expert Men

Sport Men

Beginner Men

Women

SS/FOG

New Cow Town Member

Cow Town Cycling welcomes it's newest member to the team. All 6.14 lbs of her. Brooklyn Danielle Gierer joined us at 1:05 am this morning. Mother, Selena is doing fine, but Dan is in trouble....

Spring Fling Postponed

Spring Fling Weekend #1
POSTPONED to April 11th

Snowed Out! 1st Fling Postponed to Saturday April 11th. So after 14 years you are bound to have a little weather excitement. We could snow plow the course but the cold and cloudy conditions today mean it may not be clear enough to race. Funny how it snows for Crits and not Cross.

Jim

Complete info at http://revolution-racing.com/

The Devil is Coming

THE DEVIL’S REVENGE OPENS FAT TIRE SEASON

Saturday, March 7^th the 2009 Fat Tire Duathlon series opens with the 5^th Annual Devil’s Revenge Duathlon at Clinton Lake State Park. The Devil’s Revenge is a fun and challenging way to start your off-road season. Also, new this year we have a “Bike Only” option and have added more fun single track to our courses.

The Devil’s Revenge begins at 10:00am with a 3.75 mile trail run that includes single track, hills, rocks, creek crossings, and park roads. After a quick transition, the 11.5 mile mountain bike leg is up next. The mountain bike course is a combination of some fun single track, grass prairie, gravel roads, climbs and a few rocky sections just to keep you honest. After another quick transition, a short sprint to the finish line. Both Individuals and Relay teams can compete in this fun and challenging event. The Bike Only option will begin after the Duathlon at 10:15am.

Pre-registration ends Wednesday March 4^th for the Duathlon. Due to limited quantities, event t-shirts are only guaranteed to those who pre-register so hurry and register now! Race day registration is available and opens at 8:00am. For more information, download entry forms or register online visit www.fattireduathlon.com Registration for the Bike Only option will be available only on race day beginning at 8:00am.

We would like to thank all our sponsors for their support. Visit The Wheel Cyclery for all your cycling needs. For all your massage needs visit Thoroughly Kneaded Muscle Therapy. Paceline Products has a full line of cycling products including Chamois Butt’r. Don’t forget your Road ID and as always, the Lantern Rouge Volunteer Group will entertaining us. Special thanks to the Cow Town Cycling Team and all the volunteers for their support.

If you are not racing, please consider volunteering to help bring these athletes to their finish. We still need some extra hands to help with set up, registration, scoring/results and course marshals. There will be free food and drinks as well as a cool goodie bag, event volunteer shirt and the satisfaction of helping out such a great group of people. If you, a family member or friend is available and would like to volunteer please contact multisportmarketing@gmail.com or call 816.468.4831

Lawrence River Trails Need Your Help!

The Lawrence Mountain Bike Club
Trail Maint. Work
Feb. 22 at 9 AM 'til Noon
Meet at the Trailhead (8th and Oak Streets, in North Lawrence)


There is alot of damage to the lower trail west of the Mudd Creek Cut off. On Sunday we are going to repair some of the rutted muddy sections of the lower trail.We are going to elevate the trail and grade it so this part of the trail will not just be a big ol' mud hole anymore. Neil is bringing the KTC's Ditch Witch and will be doing a lot of the heavy work with it. We need a good crew to detail, tamp and finish the tread. KTC and LMBC will provide most of the tools. Bring a shovel and rake if you can. (mark with you name, good idea)

Dress warm, work clothes, eye protection...

We can also take a look at the areas in the East End that are going to
be redone this year.

Lunch at Johnnie's.

Art King

Be a man like Lance!

Lance has some good honest (and much deserved) words for this reporter at the Tour of California press conference.

Dam Race Opens Race Race Season

The local road race season starts very soon. Get in those mile soon and do some hill repeats because you will need them for this years Dam Race.

That Dam Race Again, Again, and Again begins on March 8th, 2009. The Lantern Rouge Volunteer Team, Renaissance Racing Team and the Wheatland Cycling Team bring you this fun and challenging road race training series out on the Perry road race course.

Online registration is open now- Registration Link

Race flyer - Download here.

Ride the Devil

Come pre-ride the The Devil's Revenge course with the Cow Town Cycling Team on Saturday, February 7th, 2009. 10:00am start time from the Visitor Center.

Current trail conditions look good for the planned tour of the North Shore Trail course which will be used for the Devil's Revenge.

Clinton State Park is located on the northeast shore of Clinton Reservoir. Four miles from the City of Lawrence. Meet at the entrance to Clinton Lake State Park - Visitor Center. If you would rather skip the bike ride out to campground #3, then you can meet us out at the campground #3 shelter.

More info visit: www.fattireduathlon.com

Froze Toes Road Race

Road racing starts in less than a month with the Froze Toes Road Race.

Register via Bike Reg

Official website www.columbiabikeclub.com/froze-toes

Join the Cow Town Cycling Team

Cow Town Cycling is expanding.

The Cow Town Cycling Team is dedicated to promoting the sport of competitive cycling and multi-sport events. Founded in 2002, the team is comprised of approximately 25 individuals whose goal is to provide an outlet for local riders to develop their racing skills and to support bicycle racing within the Midwest. We are a USAC (Road and Mountain) sponsored cycling team and help promote the De Stad Cyclocross Van Kansas Series, Fat Tire Duathlon Series and the Bone Bender 3/6 Hour MTB Odyssey . Our members have won numerous events and awards including the Midwest Fat Tire Championship Series, Kansas State Cyclocross Championship, De Stad Cyclocross Van Kansas Series, Missouri State Criterium Championships, Mid-America Cross Cup, Rapture in Misery, Xterra and the Sports Woman of the Year Award.

Check out the new Cow Town Cycling group for upcoming team rides and more info.

Interested in joining the Cow Town Cycling Team? Now is a perfect time because our new team kits will be ordered soon. Download the Team Entry form and submit it to get started.

Questions? Email cowtowncycling@gmail.com

Cyclist Needed for Research Study

Bone Bender Poster

UPDATED!!!! Bone Bender has a new site: www.bonebendermtb.com